Fruit-picker



(No Model.)

F. M. TAYLOR.

Fruit Picker.-

Patented Aug. 17,1880.

N PETERS. PHOTO LTHOGRAPHER UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. TAYLOR, OF MACON, MISSOURI.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,373, dated August 17, 1880.

Application filed June 19, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, resident at Macon, in the county of Macon and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beiug had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a view, in perspective, of a fruitpicker embodying the improvcmentsiu myinvention, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

This invention has relation to fruit-pickers; and it consists in the improvements in the construction of the same hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates a base, from which the stationary jaws B 13 rise. These stationary jaws B B are dished or cut out at b b on their inner faces for a portion of their length, and their points are rounded from the outside, as shown. Between these jaws B B is pivoted a wheel, 0, provided with holes 0 c c for the reception of pins dd, which, when inserted, permit the wheel 0 to make only a partial revolution on its axis in either direction. These pins (1 d also limit the distance to which the movable jaw D, which is secured at its base to the periphery of the wheel 0, may be opened and closed,and by these pins and perforations the movable jaw D may be adjusted to suit fruits of different sizes.

The stationary jaws B are of wood, and so is the wheel 0, while the movable jaw D is of sheet-iron, bifurcated and curved, as shown.

The base A of the stationary jaws B has a depending shank, E, which is to be inserted into a sleeve, F. The upper end of the upper section of the folding handle G is also provided with a shank, H, which enters the bottom of the sleeve F to form a joint between the base A and the handle G. The folding handle G may be made in two or more sec tions, two only being shown in the drawings.

(No model.)

The sections I and J of the handle are connected by a hinge-joint, K, and the sections are provided on their opposite faces with rectangular staples e, four being shown, in which a slide, L, operates to lock and release the joint at pleasure. The lower section, J, may have a shank, H, to fit a sleeve similar to the sleeve F, by which an additional section of handle may be attached where the fruit to be picked is located very high on the tree.

A cord, M, is secured to the periphery of the wheel 0 at the side thereof opposite to the movable jaw, and staples are driven into the base A and into the handle, to serve as guides for the cord, which extends to the bottom of the handle, where it may be grasped by the operator and used to manipulate the movable jawin picking the fruit.

In picking extra soft fruit the jaws of the picker may be covered with some soft material, such as cloth or thelike, to prevent injury to the fruit.

In most of the fruit-pickers now in use a chute of flexible material is employed to convey the fruit when picked to the hands of the operator, which fall necessarily bruises the soft fruit, and the jaws have universally, so far as I am able to ascertain, been made so broad as to more than cover the largest sized fruit. Springs of various kinds have also been employed to operate the movable jaw, and cords, too, have been used for the last-named purpose.

The wide jaws, the chute, and the springs are objectionable in this, that with the two first it is difficult, if not almost impossible, to penetrate to or withdraw therefrom the interior apples or fruit where the limbs grow thickly on the tree, and the springs are liable to become entangled with the branches and interfere with the working of the picker. I have endeavored to obviate these defects by making the jaws narrow and pointing them at the top, and having the other end rounded by the wheel, so.as to better withdraw it. By using the wheel I dispense with the springs, and the weighted movable jaw insures the ready opening of the jaw.

The device may be moved up from beneath or from either side to receive the fruit, and

the bifurcations in the jaws permit the limbs to be straddled when necessary.

The sections of the handle maybe folded to shorten it, unfolded to extend it, and detached and folded for storage when not in use.

From the foregoing; description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, any one skilled in the art to which it appertains will readily understand the construction and operation of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- In a fruit-picker, the base A, provided with thejaws B B, cut out or dished at b I), and 

